Cow-stanchion



R. W. WALTER.

COW STANCHION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1910.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Q RALPH W. WALTER, or MAZOMANIE, WISCONSIN.

COW-SIAN'CHION.

Specification Dimme s Patent.

Patented Aug. 2 4, 1920.

Application filed March 10, 1919. Serial No. 281,813.

ranged in series in the usual manner, or.

which may be operated singly, if desired.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a series ofstanchions with means i or opening any number of stanchions in the samerow by a single operating mecha nism located,preferably, at one end ofthe row. A further object is to provide means for permitting the openingof any stanchion independently of the others. A further 0bject is toprovide means whereby one or more of the stanchions may be maintained inclosed or locked position while the remaining stanchions in the same roware open. Still another object is .to provide means whereby any one orall of the cows in the row of stalls may be alined with the gutter atthe rear of the stalls. A further important object is to provide anautomatic cow stop, or positioning means, whichmakes it necessary forthe cow to put her head-in the proper opening. Other objects relate tovarious features of construction and arpointed out more fully rangementwhich are herelnafter.

The nature 01 the invention will be un- .derstood from the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich one embodiment is illus trated.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows a top plan view of the to) rails andoperating mechanism;

Fig. 2 shows an elevation of a row of cow stalls'to which thepresentinvention is applied; Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of theupper end of a stanchion and the mechanism for controlling the openingand closing of the same;

Fig. 4 shows a detall cross-sectional View taken on the line H of Fig.3.; and

on the line 55 of Fig.3. I

Like numerals referto the correspond- The purpose of thisinvention is topro..

ing parts in the, several figures of the accompanying drawings, in whichthe invention is shown as comprising a series of stalls formed by thevertical posts 10, secured to the floor 11 and attached at their upperends to the horizontal supporting rails 12 by means of the bolts 13. InFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings only the end stalls are illus trated, butany desired number may be placed in the row between these end stalls,

one ofthe posts 10 being mounted between each pair of stalls. Betweenthe posts at the forward end of each stall is a stanchion 14; comprisingthe side bars 1 1, which are pivoted at their lower ends to thehorizontal supporting bar lt carried by a detachable supporting member15 mounted on the flo'or 11. At their upper ends'the arms 14 are turnedinwardly to meet at the point 17. One of the arms of each stanchion isprovided with an upwardly extending lug 18,

which engages an aperture in the lower flange of a U-shaped bracket 19secured between the horizontal supporting rails 12, which are preferablyof channel form, as shown in Figs. at and 5. The lug 18 is preferablysecured in position by means of a pin 20, and can be withdrawndownwardly when desired. The other arm 14 of each stanchion is movableand carries at its upper end an upwardly extending arm 21 and terminatesabove the top rails, as shown at 21". The opening and closing of thestanchions is efiectedby the movement of the movable bar of eachstanchion through the operation of the upwardly extending arm 21 in themanner hereinafter described.

A horizontally movable rod 25 is mounted to slide in bearings 26 carriedby the rails 12. This rod is provided opposite a number of thestanchions with a clamp 27, which is pivoted at its lowerend to a latch28 having downwardly extending parallel flanges 28 which enter thespaces between the rails. Each latchis further provided with a forwardlyextending tongue 28", which is providedwith an aperture adapted to beengaged by the upwardly extending part 21" rates the bars 14 of thestanohions. Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken A locking plate 30:is pivoted at 81 on .a flange 32, carried by the bearing member 26adjacent each stanchion, and this locking plate has an aperture or slot30 which per mits the plate to be swung around into a position beneaththe tongue 25 of the adj acent latch 28. When in this position the platelifts the latch upwardly until the aperture becomes disengaged from theprojection 21 and the arm'21, thus permitting the latch to ride to theleft,v as viewed in Figsl and 3, while the plate 30 retains thestanchion in closed position. struction'permits any selected stanchionin the row to belocked in closed position while v the remainingstanchlons are open.

The rod 25' is reciprocated in-a horizontal direction by a connectingrod 33, which is pivoted thereto and pivotally connected at 34' to anoperating lever 35, of angular form,

;which is adapted to move about a pivot 36 secured betweenthe rails 12.The lever may be lockedin its normal closed position by a chain latch37.

In order to permit certain of the cows in the-row to bespaced rearwardlyl'romthe line of posts 10, so that all of the cows will bealined withthe gutter at'the rear of the stalls, some of the stalls 14 are spacedrearwardly by means of brackets 40, having the formillustratedparticularly in Fig. 1.

'Each bracket-is detachably secured 'to the rails 12 by means of bolts41 and spacing collars 42, and the bracket comprises parallel flangeswhich are located outwardly from and-parallel'to the rails.The-stanchion beneath the brackets 40 has its support 15 mountedrearwardly from the line of posts 10, and the bracket 19- at the upper Iend thereof is secured to the bracket 40, in-

stead of being attached directly to the rails. The movable arm'2l,carried by the stanchion, 7 extends upwardly between the flanges 40 andis adapted to be engaged by a latch 28-, of the form previouslydescribed,

which is pivoted on the V-shaped supporting member 43 carried by theadjacent clamp 27 and by another clamp 44 attached .to the operating rod25. Locking plates 30 may; be mounted on any of-the brackets 40, inthemanner previously described, so'that they may beswung around under thelatches 28" for the purpose of holding the stanchion closed when theothers are opened.

By means of this construction any stanchion which isspaced'rearwardlyfrom the row of posts 10 may be operatedsimuLtaneously-with the other stanchionswhich are located inthe same'verticalpl'aneevith' the posts, or it may beheld closed whilethe others areopened. 1 v

F orthe purpose of'causing'the cows to place their heads between thebars of the stanchions,- I have provided automaticmeans for-closing thespacesbetween the posts and the bars of the stanchions at the same'timethat the latter are opened. At the end of the row of stallsacent theop-* This con-- eratinglever 35 I provide an upwardly extending bar 45,which is pivoted at its lower end to a link 46 having a pivotalconnection with thelower part of the adjacent post 10. The upper end ofthe bar'45 is pivoted to the lever 35, so that when the lever is swungupwardly and inwardly the bar 45 is carried inwardly to close the spacebetween the post 10 and the adjacent fixed arm 14 of the stanchion. Thespaces between the intermediate posts of the row and the adjacent barsof the stanchions are closed, simultaneously vwith the opening of thestanchions, by means of levers 47 and 48, which 'opposite'the rod 49,andextends upwardlybetween the rails 12, being pivotally connected atits upper end toa link 51. This link is pivotally connected to a clamp52 secured to the actuating rod 55, so that upon movement of said rod tothe left, as

viewed'in'Fig. 2, the rod 50 moves down wardly and-outwardlyfrom thepost 10, thereby causing an upward and outward movement of the rod49' onthe opposite side of the post. These rods thus'occupy the spaces betweenthe posts and the adjacent stanchio'ns, so that the heads of the cowsare directed toward the openings'through the stanehions. At the end ofthe row of stanchions opposite the operating lever 35 a fixed rod 53 ismounted in inclined position, being connected to the floor at 54 and tothe uprightpost 10 at the'point 55, thus closing the'spaces between theend post and the adjacentstanchion 14. j

By means ofthe foregoing construction it will be apparent that anydesired stanchion may belocked in-closed position while all of theothers are simultaneously opened, or

any"stanchion,*or group of stanchions, may

be opened while all the others are locked in 1 closed position. At thesame time that the stanchions are opened the movable bars 45,

49, and50'are moved into the spaces be tween the posts'and thestanchions, sothat the cows are directed into the openings be tweenthe'stan'c'hion bars. The brackets 40 may be of any desired size inorder to place any stanchion atan'y desired distance from the row ofposts 10 te -effect the proper alinement of the" cows in the row.

AlthoughI have shown and described a particularembodiment of theinvention for purposes of illustratiomit will be understood that-it maybe constructed in various different forms without departing from thescope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In combination, a series of stanchions, a longitudinalsupporting rail above said stanchions, a longitudinally slidable rodcarried by said rail, latch members carried by said rod and engagingsaid stanchions to operate the same, and individual locking meanscarried by said rail adjacent each of said stanchions for locking saidstanchions in closed position and simultaneously rendering inoperativethe latch member adjacent thereto.

2. In combination, a series of stanchions a longitudinal supporting railabove said stanchions, a longitudinally slidable rod carried by saidrail, a projecting lug carried by each of said stanchions, latch memberspivoted on said rod and having parts engaging said lugs to open andclose said stanchions'upon longitudinal movement of said rod, andlocking members each mount? ed on said rail adjacent one of saidstanchions and adapted to be operated independently to secure saidstanchion in closed position and simultaneously move the adjacent latchmember out of engagement with the adjacent lug.

3. In combination, a series of stanchions, a supporting rail extendingadjacent to said stanchions, a longitudinally slidable rod carried bysaid rail, lugs projecting from each of said stanchions adjacent saidrail, latch members pivoted on said rod and provided with apertures tobe engaged by said lugs, and supplementary locking means movable undersaid latch members to hold any of them out of engagement with said lugsduring the movement of said rod.

4. In combination, a series of stanchions, a supporting rail extendingadjacent to said stanchions, a longitudinally slidable rod carried bysaid rail, lugs projecting from each of said stanchions adjacent saidrail, latch members pivoted on said rod and provided with apertures tobe engaged by said lugs, and a locking plate adapted to be swung into aposition beneath one of said latch members to engage the adjacent lugand thereby hold the adjacent stanchion in closed position whilepermitting free movement of said latch member over said lug.

5. In combination, a pair of upwardly extending posts, a longitudinalrail carried by said posts, a longitudinally slidable rod mounted abovesaid rail, a stanchion comprising side arms mounted between said posts,a bracket secured to said rail and connected to one of said arms, anoperating member extending upwardly from the other of said arms adjacentsaid rail, a latch member pivoted on said rod and extending downwardlytherefrom longitudinally of said rail, said latch member having anaperture to be engaged by said operating member, and a locking plateadapted to be swung into a position beneath said latch member, saidlocle ing plate having a notch to engage said operating member and beingadapted to hold said latch member out of engagement with said operatingmember.

6. In combination, a pair of upwardly extending posts, a longitudinalrail carried by said posts, a longitudinally slidable rod mounted abovesaid rail, a stanchion comprising side arms mounted between said posts,a bracket secured tosaid rail and connected to one of said arms, anoperating member extending upwardly from the other of said arms adjacentsaid rail, a latch member pivoted on said rod and extending downwardlytherefrom longitudinally of said rail, said latch member having anaperture to be engaged by said operating member, a locking plate adaptedto be swung into a position beneath said latch member, aid locking platehaving a notch to engage said operating member and. being adapted tohold said latch member out of engagement with said operating member,said latch member being adapted to ride freely over said operatingmember when said locking plate is in operation, and a guiding flangesecured to said latch member and extending downwardly therefrom adjacentsaid rail.

7. In combination, a series of vertical posts, a supporting rail carriedby said posts, a series of stanchions each mounted between two of saidposts, a bracket secured to one side of said rail and extendinglaterally therefrom between two of said posts, said bracket comprisingparallel flanges extending parallel to said rail, each stanchioncomprising relatively movable side arms, means carried by said rails andby said bracket for supporting the upper ends of one side arm of eachstanchion, operating members carried by the other side arms of saidstanchions, said operating members extending upwardly adjacent said railfrom some of said stanchions and between the parallel flanges of saidbracket from the other of said stanchions, an operating rod supported bysaid rail and latch members pivoted on said rod and resting on said railand said bracket for engaging the operating members of said stanchions.

8. In combination, a series of upwardly extending posts, a series ofstanchions each mounted between a pair of posts, an upper lever and alower lever pivoted at intermediate points on an intermediate post, abar pivoted to one end of said upper lever and depending therefrom, oneend of said lower lever having a slot loosely engaged by said bar, asecond bar pivotally connected to the other ends of both of said leversand projecting upwardly beyond said upper lever, a rod slidably mountedabove said stanchions and movable longitudinally of the series ofstanchions for opening and closing them, and

a link pivotally connected to said rod and to the upper end ofsaidsecond named bar for'moving both of said bars toward and away from saidstanchions simultaneously with the opening and closing of saidstanchions.

9. Iii combination, a longitudinal supporting rail, a series ofstanchions each having a'movable side bar, an arm attached to each ofsaid movable side bars and extending upwardly therefrom, a bracketsecured to the side of said rail and extending outwardly therefromadjacent one of said stanchions, means carried by said rail and by saidbracket for supporting the upper parts of said stanchions, alongitudinally slidable rod mounted above said rail,a supporting memberattached'to said rod and extending outward] y therefrom adjacent saidbracket, and.

atch members attached to said supporting member and to said rod forengaging said upwardly extending arms of said stanchions. 10. Incombination, a SGIIBS'OTlf upwardly extending posts, a pair of railssecured to spacing member and to said rails for Supporting the upper endof one arm of each of said stanehions, operating members secured to theother arms of each of said stanchions and extending upwardly therefrom,an operating rod slidably mounted. above said rails and extendinglongitudinally thereof, a sup portmg member secured to said rod and ex--tending outwardly therefrom above said spacing member, and latch memberspivoted on said supporting member and on said rod for engaging saidupwardly extending operating arms.

In testimonywhereof, I have subscribed my name.

\ RALPH WV. VALTER.

